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PAiA 9700 midi2cv8 (Midi-to-CV Converter)


 

 

PAiA midi2cv8 Electronic Project
bulletI can't find any user site on the PAiA midi2cv8, so i thought i'd write something here.
bulletMy PAiA 9700 midi2cv8 is actually the 9700rck (Rackmount) that consists of 2 midi2cv8.
bulletPowered by a 12V AC / 600mA adaptor, the 2 can be used separately or linked together (via Midi Thru) as a mega midi to cv converter.
bullet

Various different modes, set by the DIP switch, and also Mono or Multi Modes...

 
MODE 1 (1 Voice)
Mono (all from Basic Channel) No Multi
Output 1 Pitch    
Output 2 Attack Velocity    
Output 3 Gate    
Output 4 Trigger Pulse    
Output 5 Pitch Wheel    
Output 6 Mod Wheel    
Output 7 Aftertouch    
Output 8 Release Velocity    
 
MODE 2 (2 Voice)
Mono Multi
Output 1 Pitch 1 Output 1 Basic Channel Pitch
Output 2 Velocity 1 Output 2 Basic Channel Velocity
Output 3 Gate 1 Output 3 Basic Channel Gate
Output 4 Pitch 2 Output 4 Basic Channel +1 Pitch
Output 5 Velocity 2  Output 5 Basic Channel +1 Velocity
Output 6 Gate 2 Output 6 Basic Channel +1 Gate
Output 7 Pitch Wheel  Output 7 Basic Channel Pitch Wheel
Output 8 Mod Wheel Output 8 Basic Channel +1 Pitch Wheel
 
MODE 3 (4 Voice)
Mono Multi
Output 1 Pitch 1 Output 1 Basic Channel Pitch
Output 2 Gate 1 Output 2 Basic Channel Gate
Output 3 Pitch 2 Output 3 Basic Channel +1 Pitch
Output 4 Gate 2 Output 4 Basic Channel +1 Gate
Output 5 Pitch 3 Output 5 Basic Channel +2 Pitch
Output 6 Gate 3 Output 6 Basic Channel +2 Gate
Output 7 Pitch 4 Output 7 Basic Channel +3 Pitch
Output 8 Gate 4 Output 8 Basic Channel +3 Gate
 
MODE 4 (Midi CC Control Change)
Mono Multi
Output 1 Midi CC# 0 Output 1 Basic Channel Midi CC# 0
Output 2 Midi CC# 1 Output 2 Basic Channel +1 Midi CC# 0
Output 3 Midi CC# 2 Output 3 Basic Channel +2 Midi CC# 0
Output 4 Midi CC# 3 Output 4 Basic Channel +3 Midi CC# 0
Output 5 Midi CC# 4 Output 5 Basic Channel +4 Midi CC# 0
Output 6 Midi CC# 5 Output 6 Basic Channel +5 Midi CC# 0
Output 7 Midi CC# 6 Output 7 Basic Channel +6 Midi CC# 0
Output 8 Midi CC# 7 Output 8 Basic Channel +7 Midi CC# 0
 
MODE 5 (Analog Drum Trigger)
Mono No Multi
Output 1 Midi Note # 24h    
Output 2 Midi Note # 25h    
Output 3 Midi Note # 26h    
Output 4 Midi Note # 27h    
Output 5 Midi Note # 28h    
Output 6 Midi Note # 29h    
Output 7 Midi Note # 2ah    
Output 8 Midi Note # 2bh    
 
MODE 6 (DIN Sync)
Mono Multi
Output 1 Pitch Output 1 Basic Channel Pitch
Output 2 Velocity Output 2 Basic Channel Velocity
Output 3 Gate Output 3 Basic Channel Gate
Output 4 Re-Trigger Output 4 Basic Channel +1 Pitch
Output 5 Pitch Wheel Output 5 Basic Channel +1 Velocity
Output 6 DIN Start Reset Pulse Output 6 Basic Channel +1 Gate
Output 7 DIN Run/Stop Output 7 DIN Run/Reset
Output 8 DIN 24 PPQ 1ms Pulses Output 8 DIN 24 PPQ
 
MODE 8 (Self Test)
Test Mode that outputs voltages on each outputs
bulletSo in theory, this is a powerful midi to cv converter. With the 2 joined together, you can have 1 controlling a synth, the other set to midi controllers or drum triggers etc....
 

 

 

CONSTRUCTION
Construction is not that difficult, to be honest, i didn't use my brain when building this. The assembly manual lists all components and how to identify them - e.g.
Destination: R41 Value: 100R Colour Code A-B-C: Brown-Black-Red
Only thing to complain about the assembly procedure is they ask you to solder the larger capacitors before other smaller components. So i kinda jumped steps back & forth, doing the diodes, resistors, small caps 1st, before going onto the transistors and ICs.
Took an average of 1 & 1/2 hours (for each board) to solder all the components to the PCB. I found myself constantly looking at the PCB going "where the heck is R41?!" ...
 
The most annoying bit is probably wiring the whole thing up. PAiA uses TIP and RING for the sockets - where TIP is used for normal V-Trigger Gates, and RING used for S-Trigger. So for all 8 sockets, you need to solder 16 wires + the earth... Wish they'd done a connector or something to ease the process....
 

 
The power adapter is a plain 12V AC (american voltage), and the stupid thing is, they wanted you to wire it directly to the switch, so the adapter is hanging from the case.... I just put a connector there at the rear of the case instead....
 
 
For the Rackmount kit, there are a few things really silly....

1. Midi In's & Thru's are on the front.... They're separate, so if you wanna "join" or link them, you'll have to either use a short midi lead and have it stayed there at your front panel, or, wire the Midi Thru to the 2nd Midi In internally...
It would have been nicer if, they could do add this LINK as a switch, and obviously, if midi sockets are at the rear panel.... (or one of them....)
 

2. The rear has 16 holes for 1/4" jack sockets. It just says in the manual that 1/4" sockets can be mounted here, but they don't tell you or suggest how you could do this. OK, there could be many options....
Well, i could go use 16 switching stereo sockets ... but shouldn't it be the other way round - when jacks are plugged into FRONT sockets that breaks the rear connections?!
 
3. The case only occupies 2/3rd of the rack space, it could be larger, so more could be fitted if needed....
 
 
IN USE
OK, i didn't have any trouble at all - soon after assembly, it's working well. I must say this is a very solid converter.
 
CV Tuning - there's only a CV WIDTH trimmer. But original tuning is pretty close, and with a little adjustment on the trimmer, every octave is quite in tune - good!
 
Low Note / Transpose Setting - if the unit is powered on while a midi note is held, that midi note becomes the lowest note - kind of handy for some synths....
 
Few little things I don't quite like:
1. Pitch Bend comes separate on the Pitch Wheel CV output, this CV out is at 5V normal, 0V pitch bend all down, and 10V pitch bend all up.  There's a little circuit diagram description in the manual that tells you roughly how to turn this into a usable +1/+2 semitone pitchbend, but the instructions are not that clear.

Well, my synths don't have an extra pitch wheel CV in, so i'll have to build another mod to sum the pitch wheel CV to the main CV - plus adding a switch with different resistors so i can have options to the pitch bend width...
 
2. I can find use of the Attack Velocity, Mod Wheel out, Aftertouch CV out, but there're really not much use for the Trigger Pulse nor the Release Velocity.

Wish they can do an alternative MODE 1 (for 1 voice) that uses these for other stuff...
 
Other than that, i dun have much to complain. I have yet to wait for the forever back-ordered Hz/V option board..... then i can really control my Korgs with it, maybe...
 
 

 
TO DO's
bulletPitch Wheel CV WIDTH Selector & Adder/Merger to Main Pitch CV
bulletMove MIDI to rear panel, add maybe a midi LINK switch
bulletMaybe wire the RINGs to jack sockets at the back, so i have separate S-Trigger outs rather than the need to use splitter cables...
bulletGet a good o' powerful 12V AC transformer, maybe 100VA (and a case to house it in) to power all these PAiA stuff !
 
 

 

 

 

Other Links on the PAiA 9700 midi2cv8
bullet PAiA site of course
bullet 

 

 

C Y 's files on the PAiA 9700 midi2cv8
bulletThe 9700 midi2cv8 Schematics with little colour coding for easier read

 

bulletNote: Somehow, the gif (strangely) might not open in Internet Explorer (dunno why), but it is downloadable (ie, do a "Save as...")
bulletThe 9700 Hz/V Option Board Schematics  with little colour coding for easier read

 
bulletNote: Somehow, the gif (strangely) might not open in Internet Explorer (dunno why), but it is downloadable (ie, do a "Save as...")

Manual.zip
bulletThis is the full scanned construction/assembly/user guide Acrobat PDF manual
Note: 8.34 Mb zip file

 

 

 

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